Yesterday, I was capable of posing the bloggy question, “What’s the worst thing that anybody ever called you?” Readers replied with painful memories of being labelled unkindly by people who were incapable of seeing that the hurtful labels were unfair and untrue.
Today, my answer to my own question — “what’s the worst thing that anybody ever called you” — is “Incapable.”
I am capable of admitting that I AM incapable in many areas, including
- getting enough sleep,
- knowing things before I have a chance to learn them,
- having a poker face,
- cooking as well as my boyfriend Michael,
- keeping my desk neat and organized,
- wrapping presents beautifully,
- understanding how dogs think,
- ignoring cats,
- giving up hope for humanity, and
- stopping my busy mind,
but I still think that “incapable” is the worst thing anybody has ever called me.
Three and a half years ago, when I wrote Day 867: Difficult — which had a list of every unkind label people had called me that I was capable of remembering up to that point — I was incapable of including “incapable” on that list. However, now that somebody HAS called me “incapable,” I am more capable of realizing that I have harshly and unfairly labeled myself “incapable” whenever I’ve made mistakes.
Also, even though nobody called me “incapable” until recently, I got the message I was incapable when I entered 7th grade of a public Junior High School. The administrators there decided that, because of my heart condition, I was incapable of keeping up with the smartest kids in the class. I eventually proved that I was not as incapable as they thought, when I became class Valedictorian senior year.
As I’m writing about “incapable,” here and now, I am capable of letting go of that unhelpful label. Instead, I am focusing on the ways I am capable, which include the capability to take pictures and share them here.
I am not incapable of telling stories in rhyme, including this one:
Don’t call me too weepy,
too creepy, too sleepy,
too selfish, too giving,
too sensitive from living.
Don’t call me too bitchy,
too itchy or twitchy,
too soft or too loud,
too modest, too proud.
If you’re gonna type me or hype me,
pigeonhole, assign a role,
Decide I’m a saint or some asshole,
Don’t call me.
Don’t call me too funny or too serious
I find it deleterious,
So don’t call me.
© Ann Koplow, 2018
Here‘s Keyshia Cole very capably singing “Incapable.”
I know you’re not incapable of leaving a comment.
I am not incapable of expressing my gratitude to all who helped me create this “Incapable” post and — of course! — YOU, for being capable of reading it.
Pingback: Day 2213: Incapable — The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally – Site Title
I’m so glad that you’ve changed your perspective on this-
I’m so glad whenever you share your perspective, Beth.
The act of thinking positively, and not giving into labels and names, is the best way to live your life. Good for you!
I’m also curious – where did you see the Bah Humbug cat paper? I want some! :-p
Thank you for this very good comment. I saw and bought the Bah Humbug cat paper at our local Stop & Shop supermarket. Michael named that I was becoming one of those “weird cat ladies,” a label I was proud to own (and so was the cashier, who loved that paper too). I just googled “bah humbug cat wrapping paper” but I don’t see it! Bah humbug!
Well, darn! Since I AM a weird cat lady, I would have loved to give family and friends a chuckle on Christmas.😺
I can’t imagine anyone calling you incapable.
But all of us are incapable of something. Even the most capablist people. The world would be a boring place if it was normal to be capable of everything.
Thank you for this very capable comment, my capablist friend.
Thank you for such a thoughtful, kind and more than capable post Ann. 💕
That Bah Humbug paper is brilliant!
Thank you for being thoughtful, kind, and brilliantly capable, Val! ❤ ❤
You are capable of doing so much, Ann!
You did it again, my capable friend!
One of my teachers had a sign in his classroom that said, “A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind.” To this day I’m incapable of understanding why he had that sign up, given his overall lack of humor, but no one’s capabilities should ever be underestimated.
Your capabilities should never be underestimated, Chris. ❤
We all have things we are incapable of doing, as long as we are not incapable of compassion or empathy then being incapable isn’t so bad
Thank you for your compassion and empathy, Joanne.
A capable rhyming story. I’m with Val on the Bah Humbug paper
I’m with you, my capable friend.
Pingback: Day 2218: What you have survived | The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally
Incapable? NOOooo! You’re incredible, my dear friend. (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑
It takes one incredible, dear friend to know another one, you Capable Cat. ❤
You are anN amazing friend.
♡〜ლ(๑癶ᴗ癶๑)ლ〜♡